The Venezuelan government has responded to intense pressure from the US government, including recent statements by Donald Trump on Saturday to completely close the airspace over and around Venezuela.
In a statement, the Venezuelan government said Trump’s comments were a “colonial threat” against its sovereignty and violated international law. The government also said it demands respect for its airspace and will not accept foreign orders or threats.
On Saturday, Trump said in a social media post: “To all airlines, pilots, drug dealers and human traffickers, please consider a complete closure of the airspace over and around Venezuela.”
The Venezuelan government added that due to Trump’s announcement, all migrant deportation flights were “unilaterally suspended”. Deportation flights to Venezuela have been a major point of contention for the Trump administration, as it engages in its massive deportation program.
The Defense Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A U.S. offensive against alleged drug boats in the Caribbean has been ongoing for months, with a U.S. military build-up in the region, and Trump authorizing CIA cover operations in Venezuela.
The president told military service members this week that the U.S. would launch ground operations “very soon” to stop Venezuelan drug suspects.
Last week, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) warned major airlines of a “potentially dangerous situation” when flying over Venezuela due to “poor security conditions in and around” the South American country.
Venezuela has revoked the operating rights of six major international airlines that suspended flights to the country following an FAA warning.
The Trump administration has accused Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, of involvement in drug trafficking, which he denies.
Maduro, in power since 2013, has said Trump is trying to oust him and that Venezuelan citizens and the military will resist any such attempt.
U.S. forces in the region have so far focused on counter-narcotics operations, though the accumulated firepower far exceeds anything they need.
They have carried out at least 21 strikes on suspected drug boats in the Caribbean and Pacific since September, killing at least 83 people.
